Ethics Probe OK'd As Toms River Superintendent Search Starts Over

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The Toms River Regional Board of Education approved an ethics probe and a 30-day extension for interim Superintendent Thomas Gialanella on Wednesday night as the stalemate in hiring a new superintendent continued.

A special meeting of the board, called on the day of the deadline to choose a new superintendent, continued a feud that erupted publicly in April with accusations of political interference in the search for a new superintendent.

Board members Lisa Contessa and Ashley Palmiere again insisted claims of influence by Toms River Councilman Daniel Rodrick were unfounded, even as new accusations of attempts to influence the process arose in recent days.

"They're jumping to the conclusion that because we're not voting in line with a certain way there must be some political agenda when in fact I can argue the exact opposite is true," Contessa said. "This process has been flawed from the beginning. It has been run with complete bias with one particular candidate in mind."

Palmiere rejected claims of interference, saying instead that she was being bullied by former members of the school board and accusing one of orchestrating an email from her estranged husband that alleges multiple meetings with Rodrick as part of the school board campaign last year. Read more: Toms River Board President: Rodrick Pressed Me On Superintendent

Palmiere's statement led to a shouting match with audience members, including some of her neighbors, and a recess by the board to restore order (video of that portion of the meeting is below).

Kevin Kidney, who has been accused of voting based on Rodrick's political influence, did confirm during the meeting that Rodrick ran his school board campaign following a question former board member Dan Leonard, who played audio of voicemails Rodrick left for two people in 2019, one before the election and one after. Kidney did not address the issue further during the meeting.

The allegations of political influence have prompted a group of parents to start a petition calling for the resignation of Palmiere and Contessa and for a recall campaign for Kidney.

Board president Joseph Nardini read a letter from Charles Muller, the executive county superintendent, that said the board had an obligation to have a superintendent in place by the end of the day Wednesday.

"After our discussions, I would expect that the Toms River Board of Education will fulfill their obligation and have a superintendent in place by July 1, 2021," Muller said in the letter that was addressed to interim Superintendent Thomas Gialanella, business administrator William Doering and board attorney Stephan Leone. "Again, I stress the importance of appointing a superintendent with all the work and initiatives facing school districts in the summer and next school year."

"Keep in mind that according to your policies, without a superintendent you cannot purchase merchandise, pay invoices or approve payroll," Muller wrote. "In addition no staff can be hired or let go without the superintendent's recommendation. Please let me know the progress in hiring a superintendent."

"We have to have a superintendent tonight," Nardini said.

Board vice president Anna Polozzo, who has been leading the superintendent search, nominated James Ricotta to become the next superintendent, with a three-year contract, and Michele Williams seconded it.

"Mr. Ricotta has made a lifetime commitment to our district," Williams said. "This lifetime commitment reflects his loyalty to us, and that loyalty is going to transfer into trust by the community which we all know is needed at this time."

Contessa argued that feedback she had received indicated the district wanted a change, and that she had not received satisfactory answers to her questions about what she said were lingering issues from the administration of David Healy, who retired Dec. 31.

She said she voted for James Altobello, the director of secondary education in the Hamilton Township Schools, because he works in a district that is facing similar issues to Toms River. She noted that Altobello lives in Brick and said he has family who work in the Toms River schools.

Altobello was not nominated Wednesday night; a move by Kidney to nominate him at the June 16 meeting failed with Kidney, Contessa and Palmiere voting yes and Polozzo, Williams, Jennifer Howe and Alex Mizenko voting no.

On Wednesday night, the battle lines were similar: Polozzo, Mizenko and Williams voted yes for Ricotta. Kidney, Contessa and Palmiere voted no, as did Howe, who was angry that the board was voting again on Ricotta.

"I don't understand why this is coming up again," Howe said. "It makes us look unprofessional. I don't understand why this is happening again. I feel bad for Mr. Ricotta. I feel bad for Mr. Citta. I feel like we are beating a dead horse."

Howe said she thought the board would be voting on an interim superintendent to replace Gialanella, given the stalemate at the June 16 meeting, but Polozzo countered that she had said in an email to the board following that meeting that she wanted the vote on Ricotta revisited.

After some back and forth, Howe voted no on Ricotta. The board needed five yes votes for the motion to appoint Ricotta to pass. Nardini and Kathy Eagan, both of whom say they were contacted directly by Rodrick and asked to sway the votes of other board members, had to abstain. Nardini's daughter is a teacher, and Eagan has four family members who work in the district.

With the motion to appoint Ricotta failing, Mizenko moved to designate business administrator William Doering to sign and pay bills beginning July 1 to ensure paychecks would be distributed and that invoices would be paid. That motion was approved unanimously.

Polozzo then made a motion to extend Gialanella's contract for 30 days, to allow the board time to talk to and appoint another interim while the superintendent search begins anew. That motion passed unanimously.

The board has a candidate for that interim but he was out of the country Wednesday. That interim will be asked to agree to a contract that ends June 30, 2022, but with a clause allowing the board to end it sooner depending on how soon a permanent superintendent is ready to start.

"This is not the time of year people ar looking to change jobs," Gialanella told the board.

Contessa made a motion to hire the New Jersey School Boards Association to run the next superintendent search. That motion failed with Contessa and Palmiere voting yes and the remainder of the board voting no. Kidney said he voted no because the public was angry over the cost when the district used an outside organization to search for Healy.

With a stopgap interim in place and plans in the works to hire another interim, Polozzo then made a motion to have board attorney Stephan Leone conduct an investigation into ethics violations by members of the board. That motion passed with only Howe, who expressed frustration over the cost and the continuing division, voting against.

The board also approved wording of a new superintendent search advertisement, including a requirement that the person who is hired live in Ocean County or relocate to the county or district.

Previous coverage:

• Toms River School Board Member Accuses Councilman Of Interference
• Accusations Fly Over Toms River Superintendent Search
• Toms River Superintendent Search Accusations Heat Up
• Failed Superintendent Vote Prompts Special Meeting In Toms River

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